Shattered
by alkdsjfaldk
Summary: AU: It's been years since the incident that shaped Hinamori's life into one of sorrow and despair. Can Hitsugaya help her cope before it's too late? HitsuHina.
1. Chapter 1

So... this is my first fanfic. Please don't flame!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach.

Hinamori awoke with a start. "Another dream of the past…" she murmured to herself. She shut her eyes tightly and wiped the sweat from her forehead while trying to make the dire dream disappear.

Her efforts were futile, so she sighed and rolled out of bed. It was time to get ready for another dull day at college. Hinamori was majoring in forensics, although she really didn't care what she majored in. Because of the new semester, she had to re-schedule some of her classes to fit the new ones in. Today was her first day with a new class.

Hinamori walked into the class and picked an empty seat away from most people. She was fifteen minutes early for class. She sighed and took out her notebook. As she started to doodle, a shock of white caught her eyes. Sitting a few feet next to her was a white spiky haired boy with the most beautiful emerald eyes she had ever seen. He wore a stoic expression and was dressed in black pants with a white shirt pushed up to his elbows. His forearm was surprisingly hard and muscular beneath his skin.

Not wanting to stare, Hinamori quickly turned back to her doodles. Soon the professor entered the classroom. He immediately launched into a boring monotonous lecture.

Hitsugaya groaned internally. The professor was just lecturing on information he already knew. Suddenly, he felt a presence a few feet away from him. He looked to his side and saw a girl with dark hair and seemingly unhappy eyes. She was gazing out the window and seemed like she was lost in her own world. As if she sensed him watching her, she turned her head and faced him, yet did not make direct eye contact. He was met with a startlingly pretty face. Then, he realized that she had only turned her head in his direction so that she could read the time on the clock above him.

Hinamori let out a heavy sigh realizing she had another two hours of the professor's endless lecture. She didn't have a particular interest in her major, but she needed a job that would earn her a lot of money. She was relatively poor and owed a lot of debts. There was no family to help support her because they were either dead or hated her.

Finally, the bell rang. As Hinamori started to pack up her belongings, she noticed the white-haired boy race out of the classroom. At the same time, she felt a light tap on her shoulder. She turned around and was met with a familiar face.


	2. Chapter 2

Thank you to those who reviewed and put this story on story alert! Nothing exciting has happened so far, but I'm trying to build my chapters to an intense scene. Hopefully, I won't disappoint you.

**Disclaimer:** If I owned Bleach, Hitsugaya would be in every scene.

* * *

Hinamori was met with a set of deep blue-purple eyes. She was startled when she realized that she had gone through three hours of not noticing that her friend, Rukia, was in the same classroom.

"Momo, what is this? Not saying 'hi' to me anymore?" Rukia asked, her voice flooding with feigned annoyance.

"Sorry Rukia, I didn't see you," Hinamori said indifferently. She knew from Rukia's tone of voice that she was only pretending to be irritated.

"It's okay. I just noticed you too," Rukia said and sighed. "Anyways, will I be seeing you tonight?"

Hinamori cringed at the thought of going to her job. "Unfortunately…" she murmured under her breath.

Rukia frowned at her friend's lack of enthusiasm. "Cheer up Momo or you are going to get fired for your pessimistic attitude. The job we have now is preparation for the future. So you better enjoy it while it's easy. Here, take this," Rukia said while rummaging around in her bag. She thrust a chocolate bar in Hinamori's hands. "This should raise your spirits," she said as she sauntered away.

As Rukia left, Hinamori let out another heavy sigh. _This must be the hundredth time I've sighed today_ she thought to herself, slightly infuriated. She had known Rukia since high school. The raven-haired girl had always taken a rather motherly approach towards Hinamori although they were the same age. Hinamori only thought of Rukia as someone pleasant to talk to. Their friendship didn't extend much farther than that as far as she was concerned. Rukia was a social butterfly and almost the complete opposite of Hinamori. Yet, she considered Rukia her best friend, because she was also her only friend. Hinamori wasn't very social and she didn't really care much for social events and companionship.

When all her classes for the day were finished, she started to walk to her dorm. When she arrived at her destination, she unlocked the door and threw her bag on the floor. She opened the refrigerator and took a long sip from the milk carton. With the back of her hand she wiped away the remaining liquid that had formed on her lips. Hinamori walked over to her bed and stretched her body across it. She flipped on the TV and closed her eyes. She slowly dozed off as she tuned out the drumming of the TV.

Two hours later Hinamori awoke to the blaring sound of the TV. Panic flooded through her body as she realized she had fallen asleep. She quickly turned her head towards the clock. _Crap! It's six fifty! I have ten minutes to get there or else I'm late_. She quickly changed into her work attire, grabbed her bag, and ran out of the dorm. Running as fast as her legs could carry her, and crossing streets without checking if there were cars coming, she made it to work three minutes late.

She hastily ripped open the door to the Karakura clinic. She was panting violently as she made her way to the sign in/out sheet.

"Oi Hinamori! You are late! Do you think I will tolerate that? It's coming out of your pay!" yelled Hinamori's boss, Dr. Kurosaki.

Hinamori's cheeks instantly reddened and she looked down. "I-I'm sorry sir. It won't happen again," she said in a timid voice.

"Just kidding! I love messing with you. You take everything so seriously! You should have seen your facial expression. But did you actually think that I was that mean!? You should know better than that! I'm the nicest boss! Anyways, we have a new worker starting today. I need you to show him how we do things around here and where all the supplies are located," said Dr. Kurosaki in one short breath.

"Yes sir," Hinamori said uninterestedly. She turned around and that was when she saw the same spiky white-haired boy that had sat a few feet to her side earlier that morning.


	3. Chapter 3

Thank you to all who reviewed and put this story under story alert and favorites :) I just hope I don't disappoint you. And I'm sorry that all my chapters are so short... I'll make a much longer one next time.

**Disclaimer:** Again, if I owned Bleach, Hitsugaya would be the main character.

* * *

"Hinamori, this is our newest employee Hitsugaya Toushirou. And Hitsugaya, this is Hinamori Momo," said Dr. Kurosaki.

Hinamori nodded her head and turned back around to finish filling out the time sheet.

Hitsugaya watched her hand fly across the page. He realized immediately when she had walked into the clinic that she was the new addition to his forensics class. He recognized her by her delicate features and the bun she wore in her hair. He studied her more closely and observed that she looked rather lethargic and apathetic towards her surroundings. Yet, there seemed to be something different about her from before. His eyes were narrowed slits as he looked at her even more closely and realized that her dark eyes seemed shallow. In the classroom, when she was lost in her own world, her eyes were full of depth and seemed to be almost… pained.

Suddenly a door opened and Rukia walked through. "Momo! Late again?! I was here ten minutes early!" bragged Rukia with a lopsided grin on her face.

Hinamori whipped around and glared at Rukia. Softly, under her breath, she hissed, "Quiet! The boss is still here. You don't need to bring attention to my tardiness." Rukia got the hint and wiped the smile off of her face.

"Now that everyone knows what to do, I'm leaving to attend to my own work. I leave everything here to you adolescents!" called out Dr. Kurosaki in a booming voice as he marched out of the room with a huge smile on his face. Rukia followed him out.

Hinamori took a deep breath and turned around to face Hitsugaya. She was always edgy around new people and she didn't like the prospect of teaching someone, even if it was just for a day or two. She knew she would probably get nervous, which would lead to confusion, and that would make her look stupid. _Why did Dr. Kurosaki pick me to show around the new person? He should have picked Rukia or someone much more affable_.

As she looked at the boy standing a few feet away from her, she noticed how calm and relaxed he appeared. He was also wearing the same stoic expression that he had on earlier that day. His eyes narrowed as he looked back at Hinamori.

"Are we just going to stand here all day staring at each other or are you going to show me around?" he asked in an impatient voice that hinted annoyance.

"No, of course not," Hinamori replied as she scowled at him. "I'm so sorry for not being fast enough," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. She was already beginning to dislike the newest employee.


	4. Chapter 4

**Wow, it's been months since my last update. :O Sorry if this chapter is stupid DX**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach. Again, if I did, Hitsugaya would be the main character.**

* * *

"Dr. Kurosaki, I showed Hitsugaya where all the supplies were located and we ran a blood analysis. Was there something else you needed before we leave?" Hinamori asked while nervously twisting a loose strand of hair.

"Nope, that's all for today," Dr. Kurosaki said with a stupid smile on his face.

Hinamori started to walk to the door when Rukia and Ichigo entered through the other room.

"Oi Hinamori! Toushirou! Do you guys want to go get something to eat with us?" Ichigo asked.

Hinamori looked up curiously at Ichigo and Hitsugaya. The two knew each other? And were on a first name basis?

Hitsugaya twitched his brow in annoyance. "It's Hitsugaya," he said sharply.

"Whatever. Do you want to go?" Ichigo asked. Hitsugaya mumbled something incoherent under his breath.

"What about you Momo?"

"Sure," Hinamori replied. Hitsugaya looked at Hinamori and scolded himself mentally for feeling curious about her. The time he spent with her this evening gave him the impression that there was something different that set her aside from everyone else. Four hours of being with her and he knew nothing. For the first time in his life he actually wanted to get to know someone. He suppressed this thought quickly.

"I call shotgun!!" yelled Rukia.

Hinamori sighed and climbed in the backseat with Hitsugaya. Ichigo's sport car was quite cramped in the back so her body was in very close proximity with Hitsugaya's. As the car went around a curve, Hinamori had to slide out her hand to maintain her balance so she wouldn't crash into Hitsugaya. But as she did this, her hand ended up on top of Hitsugaya's hand. Pink specks blotted her cheeks as she forced out a mumbled apology.

Hitsugaya looked up in surprise as he felt ice cold skin rub against his hand. The pink tint on Hinamori's delicate features radiated her natural beauty. Then he had the inexplicable urge to grab her hand and keep it there so he could warm it. He mentally kicked himself five hundred times for even thinking a thought like that.

"It's fine," Hitsugaya said in a strained voice.

Ichigo parked the car and everyone got out. "A table for four," Ichigo told the waitress. The waitress led them to a booth near the window. Ichigo slid in and Rukia followed. That left Hinamori and Hitsugaya to sit next to each other. Hitsugaya slithered in the booth and as Hinamori was sliding in, a passerby bumped into Hinamori's side. The hard impact caused Hinamori to lose her balance and she fell into Hitsugaya's lap.

The blood broiled to Hinamori's face and she turned cherry red. Her muscles froze and for ten excruciating slow seconds she couldn't move. When she grasped control of her body again she leaped off his lap but ended up falling out of the booth.

If it was possible for Hinamori's face to turn even redder than it already was, it did. She looked down at the cold floor and regretted her decision to go out to eat. Suddenly a hand appeared in front of her. "Are you okay?" asked Hitsugaya in a concerned voice. Hinamori ignored his inviting hand and stood up herself. She looked down at the floor as her bangs fell in front of her face. "I'm sorry. Someone bumped into me and I lost my balance," she explained in a rush.

"It's not your fault, you don't need to apologize," Hitsugaya replied. An image of what just happened flashed into his mind. He had been momentarily taken aback at finding her small figure in his lap. What had shocked him even more was that he had had the impulse to enclose his arms around her waist and hold her there. He erased this thought as soon as it had come. This was beyond weird to be having thoughts about some girl he barely knew and had just met. Okay, he had to admit she was pretty, possibly the prettiest girl he had ever encountered, but that gave him no excuse to having such fantasies.

When Hinamori and Hitsugaya were properly seated again the waitress came by to take everyone's order. As they waited for their food to arrive, Rukia launched into a conversation about their latest school assignment.

Hinamori tuned Rukia out and let her mind wander. "Do you come here often?" the voice next to her asked. She looked up and realized Hitsugaya was speaking to her. He decided to make idle chatter with Hinamori since Rukia's conversation was too boring for him. Not only that, Ichigo and Rukia started to get into one of their flirty arguments.

"Not really," she replied surprised that he was talking to her. "Do you?"

"No. I've never been here before."

Hinamori let out a cute giggle that astonished both herself and Hitsugaya. "You're not missing out on anything. They have this really weird meal on the menu and I still have not been able to identify the contents."

"It didn't look like food at all. In truth, I think it was fish and chicken mixed together and there was a watery liquid that covered whatever it was and made it all soggy," joined in Rukia.

"Why would you put something in your mouth if you didn't know what the contents were?" Hitsugaya asked in disbelief. "Ichigo and Rukia paid me to," Hinamori said with a small smile playing on her lips. Just then the waitress came with the food. Hitsugaya checked her plate to make sure the meal she had ordered was normal. Relief flooded through his body as he saw it was your average everyday hamburger and French fries.

Throughout the meal Hitsugaya and Hinamori made light conversation. Hinamori found that she was actually beginning to like Hitsugaya and see him a decent person. However, when she talked she always seemed unsure of herself and never said too much. In short, she was not an open person at all. Hitsugaya took notice of this, but he was more of a closed person himself as well.

"What did you think of the job today?" asked Hinamori.

Hitsugaya frowned. "It was okay I guess."

"Just boring?" Hinamori asked and smirked.

Hitsugaya agreed, but before he could say more Ichigo interrupted them. "I have to get back to my house early tonight so let's leave now since everyone is done eating." After paying, everyone scooted out of the booth and walked toward Ichigo's car.

As Ichigo drove everyone back to the dormitories, Hinamori stared out the window. Hitsugaya looked over at her and saw pain in her eyes. Like in the classroom, she was lost in her own world again. He wondered what could have upset her so much.

Soon the car lurched to a stop. Rukia, Hinamori, and Hitsugaya all got out of the car. They said their good-byes and parted since their dorms were in different directions. Hitsugaya watched Hinamori's departing form and felt his curiosity rise for the umpteenth time that day.


End file.
